1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a furnace for high temperature treatment of a plurality of samples and, in particular, to such a furnace which can utilize the uniquely low gravitational forces experienced in aerospace applications.
2. Brief Statement of the Prior Art
It has been recognized that alloying of certain metals under very low gravitational forces could produce very beneficial results because of the elimination of convection forces and/or separations resulting from density differences in the molten metal which affect the alloying treatment. America's Space Shuttle provides an ideal platform for conducting the aforementioned high temperature treatment of metals and alloying elements since it can provide sufficient time at the low gravitational forces desired for significantly reducing the convection forces during preselected high temperature treatments of samples of metals and alloying elements.
The various alloys, however, require different treatments and, therefore, it is desired to provide a high temperature treatment system capable of selective treatment of each alloy or group of alloy metals at preselected and distinct conditions.
It is also desirable to automate the high temperature treatments of a plurality of alloying elements so that the various experiments can be automatically controlled without the necessity for intervention of an operator and thus avoid detracting the flight crews attention from more critical space flight operations. Furthermore, the Shuttle intervals of consistent, low-gravitational-force operation occur in varied time segments, e.g., in six to ten hour segments and the furnace system must be capable of performing its mission during several noncontiguous periods of time, preferably with initiation of each treatment cycle controlled by the flight crew.
It has been proposed that an automated system be designed to move samples of metals and alloying elements into and out of a single furnace which can be controlled to apply a preselected heating and cooling profile of the sample. However, this system has not succeeded, and one major obstacle has been the bulk and complexity of a suitable sample handling mechanism.